The Catholic Foundation is honored to welcome the Jomel A. Francisco Fund for the Filipino-American Endowment Fund, established in 2007.

Part of the Foundation’s Catholic Legacy Fund, the Filipino-American Endowment Fund is a legacy to the Filipino heritage and provides annual support for retired priests and vocations in perpetuity.

You can contribute to the Filipino-American Endowment Fund in any amount or create a Named Fund with a gift of $10,000 or more. There is no minimum requirement to contribute to an existing endowed fund. Gifts of any size are welcome, and are vital to the Filipino community’s mission.

Endowed funds established through the Catholic Foundation ensure that the corpus of the donation is preserved, while income earned on the investment is available for use each year for the beneficiary. They are excellent vehicles for donors wishing to provide long-term support for parishes, schools, ministries, and charities in the Diocese of El Paso.

The local Filipino community will commemorate Philippines Independence Day on June 12. The Philippines, consisting of more than 7,000 separate islands in the western Pacific, declared independence from Spanish rule over 120 years ago.

The Filipino Catholic community gathers for the Pinoy Mass at St. Raphael Parish every first or second Saturday of the month at 5:30pm. The Mass, celebrated in Filipino with accompanying music in the national language, stirs a different spirituality for Filipinos than attending Mass in English, and makes them feel a closeness to home and family. The celebration is followed by delicious Filipino food and fellowship.

Pagpalain sana tayo ng Panginoon. May the Lord our God bless us.